Singapore, 21 September 2012 (Friday) – The most exciting, innovative and respected erhu master, George Gao, will wow the Singapore audience with SCO’s Erhu Associate Principal Ling Hock Siang in a two-night concert on 2 and 3 November (Friday and Saturday) at the SCO Concert Hall. This concert will be conducted by SCO Associate Conductor Quek Ling Kiong.
The Gemini Award nominated erhu master George Gao began studying the erhu at the age of six, he swept the three highest prizes of the Beijing China National Invitational Erhu Competition in 1985. In 1999, He won a Recognition Award for his appearance at the 13th World Festival for Young Students in Pyongyang, North Korea. Pioneered the development of new music, George Gao fused traditional Chinese music with various musical style such as jazz, western classical, new age and other ethnic music from different cultures. He gives more than 100 performances a year worldwide, performing with the greatest conductors, orchestras and artists. He toured the US, Canada, France, Germany, Denmark, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and China extensively and has performed with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, Aalborg Symphony Orchestra, Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, Taiwan National Chinese Orchestra, Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and more.
George Gao is also a talented composer. He has composed music for many films and documentaries. In 2006, George Gao has co-composed and recorded the sound tracks for the Oscar winning short documentary The Blood of Yingzhou District. His famous erhu compositions such as Capriccio for Erhu and Erhu Capriccio No. 2 – Mongolian Fantasy have been recognized and designated as a set piece in many international erhu competitions. In a display of his unique East-West, classical-pop playing style, George Gao will perform Capriccio No. 2 for Erhu and Orchestra – Mongolian Fantasy on 2 November and Capriccio No. 4 for Erhu and Orchestra – Gobi Fantasy on 3 November. Mongolian Fantasy is a erhu piece rich in inner Mongolia’s music style. Besides the ethnic characteristic, this piece incorporates a contemporary erhu playing technique which is not commonly found in traditional erhu compositions. Gobi Fantasy is a specially commissioned work for the Erhu Competition in the 29th Spring in Shanghai International Music Festival. George Gao will also showcase his creative innovation – the shaoqin – in this concert. Shaoqin is an erhu named after him. The shaoqin retains the intrinsic features of the traditional erhu yet has an intriguing tone colour while the extrinsic look of the instrument is modern yet quaint.
George Gao will partner Ling Hock Siang in Liu Xi Jin’s double erhu concerto Hymn of Wusuli. This piece describes the three most distinctive lifestyle characteristics of the hezhe ethnic group – fishing, singing and hunting. Jiang Ying’s orchestral composition The Silk Road (Kumtag) and Night’s Banquet at the Shu Palace by Zhu Dan, Yu Shu and Gao Wei Jie will also be performed.
Ling Hock Siang holds a master’s degree in erhu performance from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. He is the first Singaporean to achieve a post-graduate certification in erhu performance. Ling Hock Siang is also the recipient of the 2004 Young Artist Award and Singapore Youth Award (Culture and Arts Team Category, The Huqin Quartet). He is currently a member of the Huqin Quartet and an instructor of the City Chinese Orchestra and East Zone Schools’ Chinese Orchestral Music Development Centre.
Conductor: Quek Ling Kiong
Erhu / Shaoqin: George Gao
Erhu: Ling Hock Siang
Concert details:
A Night with George Gao I & II
Date: 2 & 3 November 2012 (Friday & Saturday)
Time: 8pm
Venue: SCO Concert Hall
Ticket Prices: $55, $45, $35/$19*, $25/$14*
Package: 30% with purchase of concert tickets to both nights
Tickets from SISTIC
*Concession prices
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